Orbi App Speed Test vs Actual

[Nansterz]

Last week, we noticed a significant drop in home network speeds. I did the standard troubleshooting, rebooted the modem, reboot the Orbi and we completely lost the internet - I couldn't get a dynamic IP from my ISP. 2 hours and an Orbi factory reset later I got everything back up. As a note, I was previously using default settings on the Orbi and Circle. I didn't make any configuration changes after the factory reset.

Speeds have not returned to their normal speeds, however, the Orbi app is reporting what I expect to be getting. 

Orbi app speed test reports 178.14Mbps download, 12.04Mbps upload and 13.0ms ping.

The SpeedTest app on my iPad reports 31.0Mbps download, 10.6Mbps upload and 19ms ping.

I have the SpeedTest history on my iPad and I used to get 180Mbps download, 11.5Mbps upload and 20ms ping. I also confirmed that my iPad is using 5GHz and not 2.4GHz. I also unmanaged my iPad in Circle with similar results.

I also connected my laptop with a gigabit adapter directly to the Orbi and I got 65.08Mbps download, 9.84Mbps upload and 18ms ping. Better than what I'm getting on the iPad, but still half of what I expect to get. 

Any ideas, tips? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

[FURRYe38 · Accepted solution]

What is the Mfr and model# of the Internet Service Providers modem/ONT the NG router is connected too? Is this the CM modem you listed in you product list? You using the RBR20? 

What is the size of your home? Sq Ft?
What is the distance between the router and satellite(s)? 30 feet is recommended in between RBR and RBS to begin with depending upon building materials when wirelessly connected. https://kb.netgear.com/000036466/How-far-should-I-place-my-Orbi-satellite-from-my-Orbi-router

What channels are you using? Auto? Try setting manual channel 1, 6 or 11 on 2.4Ghz and any unused channel on 5Ghz.
Any Wifi Neighbors near by? If so, how many?

Try enabling Beamforming and MIMO(MIMO may or maynot be needed) and WMM. Under Advanced Tab/Advanced Settings/Wireless Settings

Try disabling the following and see:
Armor, Circle, Daisy Chain, Fast Roaming, IPv6 and Set 20/40Mhz Coexistence to 40Mhz only. Set Short preamble instead of Long preamble modes. Save settings and reboot the router and satellite(s).

You may want to update FW if you haven't already:

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/RBR20-RBS20-2-5-1-16-firmware-observations/td-p/1897766/jump-t...

[Retired_Member]

orbi model & firmware?

[Nansterz]

RBR20 running V2.3.5.30

[Retired_Member]

not familat with the RBR20 

what changed recently to your system?  firmware updates?

many users report problems with app for speed results and other things

[Nansterz]

It also comes up as AC2200. I did a firmware upgrade after the factory reset.

[FURRYe38 · Accepted solution]

What is the Mfr and model# of the Internet Service Providers modem/ONT the NG router is connected too? Is this the CM modem you listed in you product list? You using the RBR20? 

What is the size of your home? Sq Ft?
What is the distance between the router and satellite(s)? 30 feet is recommended in between RBR and RBS to begin with depending upon building materials when wirelessly connected. https://kb.netgear.com/000036466/How-far-should-I-place-my-Orbi-satellite-from-my-Orbi-router

What channels are you using? Auto? Try setting manual channel 1, 6 or 11 on 2.4Ghz and any unused channel on 5Ghz.
Any Wifi Neighbors near by? If so, how many?

Try enabling Beamforming and MIMO(MIMO may or maynot be needed) and WMM. Under Advanced Tab/Advanced Settings/Wireless Settings

Try disabling the following and see:
Armor, Circle, Daisy Chain, Fast Roaming, IPv6 and Set 20/40Mhz Coexistence to 40Mhz only. Set Short preamble instead of Long preamble modes. Save settings and reboot the router and satellite(s).

You may want to update FW if you haven't already:

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Orbi/RBR20-RBS20-2-5-1-16-firmware-observations/td-p/1897766/jump-t...

[Nansterz]

FURRYe38.. I went ahead and performed a manual update and the speed issue appears to be resolved. I DID run into a snag during the firmware update process - I kept getting "Firmware upgrade failed. Please check your file." on the satellite (that I forgot to mention in the original post). So me being the smarty pants that I am (sarcasm), I tried a factory reset and removal of the satellite from my network. I figured that it would treat it as a brand new satellite upon adding back to the system and would auto-update the firmware. Welp, that didn't work. It recognizes it when I plug it back in and so it's stuck on 2.3.5.6. I tried to update it manually and still getting the upgrade failed error. 

I did a speed test and the numbers are back to where I expect them.. I just really need to see if there's a speed difference on devices connected to the satellite and also find a way to get it to take a firmware update.

[FURRYe38]

Try this on the RBS with v16 RBS FW at the ready:

What you need to do is factory reset the RBS. Wire connect a PC to the 1st satellite. Already have the most current FW version files downloaded on to this PC. 

When the satellites are reset, wait about 5 minute. The PC will get a IP address from the satellite. the IP address will be 192.168.1.250. You can look at the network status connection properties to see what the GATEWAY IP address is to verify. Use this IP address in a web browser to log in to the satellites web page. Log in as admin and password. Use the satellites web page FW update feature to select the FW update file that was unpacked from the .zip file. Do this for both satellites. Then factory reset and then re-sync the satellites to the RBR. 

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@Nansterz wrote:

FURRYe38.. I went ahead and performed a manual update and the speed issue appears to be resolved. I DID run into a snag during the firmware update process - I kept getting "Firmware upgrade failed. Please check your file." on the satellite (that I forgot to mention in the original post). So me being the smarty pants that I am (sarcasm), I tried a factory reset and removal of the satellite from my network. I figured that it would treat it as a brand new satellite upon adding back to the system and would auto-update the firmware. Welp, that didn't work. It recognizes it when I plug it back in and so it's stuck on 2.3.5.6. I tried to update it manually and still getting the upgrade failed error. 

I did a speed test and the numbers are back to where I expect them.. I just really need to see if there's a speed difference on devices connected to the satellite and also find a way to get it to take a firmware update.

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[Nansterz]

By some crazy miracle, the firmware updated. I’m not sure how or why, but it did and everything has been stable.

Thank you all for your help.

[Retired_Member]

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@Nansterz wrote:
By some crazy miracle, the firmware updated. I’m not sure how or why, but it did and everything has been stable.

Thank you all for your help.

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So what version are you on now?

[FURRYe38]

Please mark your thread as solved so others will know. 

Be sure to make a backup configuration to file for safe keeping. Saves time if a reset is needed. 

Enjoy. 

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@Nansterz wrote:
By some crazy miracle, the firmware updated. I’m not sure how or why, but it did and everything has been stable.

Thank you all for your help.

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[Nansterz]

2.5.0.2